San Marco Riverwalk

[Viper]

Doubletree, huh?

Thanks for the update.

[BosTech]

Maybe it's insiders joke. :-)

Why are they changing name of hotel if they gonna tear it down?

So what they gonna build first new hotel or condo tower?

[Viper]

I thought of that too. Why rebrand what you are going to demolish?

What would be better is if a Doubltree were built on its own.

Glad to know the project is at least still moving forward.

[bobliocatt]

Ever since the Radisson was purchased, the plans were to renovate it, plus build a completely different chain, in the form of a 9 story hotel on the triangular shaped lot on the corner of Hendricks and Prudential. The existing hotel will still be around, at least for another 6 years, because only the last phase of the development (5th & 6th towers), will require the hotel to be demolished. If everything goes according to plan, the first three towers will be built in the surface parking lot, along Prudential Drive and the 4th, in the parking lot between The Peninsula and Charthouse.

There was no mention of the separate 200 unit hotel planned for SW corner of the site. Since my clients are only interested in the residential portion, I assume that hotel will probably be developed by a totally separate group.

[bobliocatt]

Maybe it's insiders joke. :-)

Why are they changing name of hotel if they gonna tear it down?

So what they  gonna build first new hotel or condo tower?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The 9 story hotel was supposed to break ground this summer, yet until I get my hands on that packet, no word on what's going on with that. The first 35 story condo tower is supposed to break ground in early 2006.

[Viper]

Doesn't look as though there is much space for the existing hotel (I know, arists rendering and all) and I was always under the impression it was being demolished as part of the initial construction.

Glad to be wrong.

Looks like a tight fit all around and the north western most tower will be right next to the Peninsula.

[BosTech]

Hey as long there are going to build it will take it.

Pictures looks right,closer to Pentinsula you'll have two towers and hotel on that corner and then they will tear down hotel to build other 3 towers.

Looks cool,glad to hear there are progress made.

I also see on Peninsula site they are talking about groundbreakin ceremony coming up.

[bobliocatt]

Doesn't look as though there is much space for the existing hotel (I know, arists rendering and all) and I was always under the impression it was being demolished as part of the initial construction.

Glad to be wrong.

Looks like a tight fit all around and the north western most tower will be right next to the Peninsula.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My recent post was slightly off. The hotel would be torn down around 2011 for the final (2) 35 story towers (in the center). Here was the original, schedule for the three phase development:

Phase 1

9 story/200 unit Hotel - Summer 2005 (block 5)

Phase 2

35 story condo tower (old Crawdaddy's site) - January 2006 (tower 1)

30 story condo tower (Charthouse site) - January 2007 (tower 2)

28 story condo tower/grocery (north of new hotel) - 2007 or 2008 (tower 6)

Phase 3

Final two 35 story condo towers (demolish existing hotel) - 2011 (tower 4 & 3)

[bobliocatt]

This should help clear things up.

[asonj23]

I can picture all the cranes now! I'm glad to see that there are more public roadways planned between the towers. Hopefully these towers will be pedestrian friendly.

The top left corner of the picture Lakelander posted will be THICK with towers!!

[TheUrbanCore]

This should be called Southbank Riverwalk. San Marco starts at I10, just FYI. All of this is within Downtown, including the San Marco Place development.

[Viper]

This should be called Southbank Riverwalk. San Marco starts at I10, just FYI. All of this is within Downtown, including the San Marco Place development.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I-95?

Riverwalk Village is probably even better as the actual Riverwalk itself on that side of the river is called the Southbank Riverwalk.

Besides, isn't most of the are we call San Marco not actually San Marco but Oakland?

[bobliocatt]

Oakland is the area of town, just north of the Arlington Expressway, along Philip Randolph Blvd. Most of the San Marco area, used to be a part of the city of South Jacksonville.

[Viper]

I read here recently tht much of the area was originally called something else (thought it was Oakland).

The same thing is going on right now as the Southbank is being called San Marco.  It used to be called Oakland, and even before that, it was South Jax.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[bobliocatt]

I believe a portion was called Oklahoma at one time, but the name "South Jacksonville" was the only incorporated city on the Southbank.

[Viper]

That's it. I knew it had an O and a K.

My point was that the 'boundaries' of San Marco seem to be spreading and have already consumed 'Oklahoma' (Wow, the sprawl has really gotten bad now, hehe).

[Captain Obvious]

Sorry, my mistake. Oklahoma, Oakland ... pretty close

[rav4guy]

Oh man, I just realized that this project would mean the demolition of the Chart House. I had always hoped they would find a way to build around it. It is, after all, a rather cool design on a free-standing restaurant. Guess that's the price of progression, though...

[RiversideGator]

And, the area around the Gator Bowl/sports complex was once a neighborhood of houses named Fairfield. My great grandparents lived there for a while.

[Lunican]

what is St. Johns Phase III?

[vicupstate]

what is St. Johns Phase III?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Originally phase 3 was going to be a 13-story office building with garage. More recently the developers have indicated that instead it will be residential. No information has been released regarding height/stories or really any other info regarding that phase.

[Captain Obvious]

rav4 - Charthouse still has a very long lease on their building. Consequently, they might not actually be going anywhere. The developer says they will demolish it. Charthouse says they are staying. It will be interesting to see what happens. Either way, I don't really see why the developer would need to demolish Charthouse. That adjacent parking lot seems big enough as it is.

lunican - Originally, the Strand/Peninsula developers wanted to build a 13 story office tower there (where the Peninsula sales trailer is). However, with sales so strong for the Peninsula, now they want to build a 3rd residential tower instead. They haven't said if this means it will now be taller/shorter than 13 floors, nor have they given a new timetable.

lakelander - Did your clients (or the packet) say exactly how they plan to start construction on the residential tower in 2006? If they haven't even started with pre-sales, how will they get construction financing? But I'm glad to hear that the project is still moving (it was very dissapointing when their original timetable clearly didn't pan out).

[bobliocatt]

lakelander - Did your clients (or the packet) say exactly how they plan to start construction on the residential tower in 2006? If they haven't even started with pre-sales, how will they get construction financing? But I'm glad to hear that the project is still moving (it was very dissapointing when their original timetable clearly didn't pan out).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm not sure, I never got to see the packet. While I can't say for sure, my clients, who have pretty deep pockets and are involved in a couple of other large local projects, seem to be interested in possibly backing it.